Venetian blind



H. WARREN VENETIAN BLIND Dec. 31, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1939 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR [1"(020 u ai'r'en wrmsssss D66. 31, 1940. H WARREN 2,227,238

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Oct. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR ffqwloza Zl'tu v'e/z/ m ATTO R N EYB Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds and has for an object to provide an improved construction which may be used alone or in connection with an ordinary shade and shade roller.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction which may present the usual desirable features of a Venetian blind and also the desirable features of a shade.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction wherein the vanes are formed of flexible material folded to provide vane members having a flat ply or member and one or more bowed stiflening and tensioning members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind structure wherein the parts are so arranged that they may be swung freely to a fully open position or swung to a fully closed position with the upper and lower edge portions of the respective vanes contacting to provide a substantially air-tight structure.

An additional object of the invention .is to provide a Venetian blind structure which may utilize flexible tapes on opposite sides for manipulating the vanes or may utilize a chain structure for securing the same results.

A further and more detailed object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blindstructure having vanes which may be formed of a single sheet of material or a plurality of sheets and may have certain parts covered with aluminum in a desired form. g,

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a front view of a window 'frame and part of a wall together with .a Venetian blind structure disclosing an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 2-2, the same being on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary sectional perspective view showing a part of one side edge of one of the vanes illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary sectional perspective view illustrating the interior structure and arrangement of the respective control tapes shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to the upper part of Fig. 2 but showing the vanes closed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view with certain parts broken away and illustrating how the control tapes fit over a supporting bar;

Fig. 'l is an end view of a slightly modified vane to that illustrated in Fig. 2; I

Fig. 8 is a'sectionll view through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 88, the same being on. a somewhat enlarged scale;

Fig. 9 is "a view similar to the upper part of Fig. 5 but showing a modified construction;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to the cen- 5 tral part of Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention, wherein links are used instead of control tapes;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the links shown in Fig. 10. I 10 Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, l indicates a wall of any desired kind and 2 a window frame fitted into the wall I. Suitable brackets 3 are connected to the frame 2 and act as supports for a standard shade roller ll "'4 on which a shade 5 is mounted. The roller 4, brackets 3 and shade 5 are of the usual kind now on the market with one edge of the flexible sheet or shade 5 tacked or otherwise secured to the roller 4. However, the lower part of the a sheet or shade ,5 is looped or folded back upon itself to provide .a large loop or hem 5 held in functioning position by a line of stitching 1. Arranged in the loop 6 is a bar or rod 8, which may be of wood or other material and which a: is round in cross section. This bar is rotatably mounted in the loop 6 and under some circumstances may rock or rotate as the vanes of the blind .are actuated.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the respective con- 30 trol tapes 9 and i0 merge together and extend over the bar 8. If desired, these tapes may merely slide over the bar or may be connected thereto by any suitable means, as for instance tacks ll, so that the bar may rock back and a forth as the tapes are caused to function. The loop 6 is provided with openings l2 and I3 through which the control tapes extend. At the lower end the respective control tapes are provided with rings I4 and I5 so that they may be easily manipulated. Auxiliary control tapes I and I1 are also provided and at their upper ends are arranged similarly to tapes 9 and I0 and at their lower ends are merely cut oil and not provided with rings. Each of the control tapes and 45 also each of the auxiliary control tapes are connected to the various vanes 18. The front control tapes I!) are connected to the front edges oi the vanes while the rear control tapes 8 and 9 are connected to the rear edge and when the rings i4 5 and I5 are substantially in alignment the various vanes I8 are fully opened, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Whenever desired, the rear control tape 8 may be pulled until the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 5 with all vanes fully as closed and contacting at their respective edge portions. This not only prevents light from passing through the blind but also prevents air from passing therethrough. In respect to heat, it will, of course, be understood that the material of the vanes will prevent a certain amount of heat from passing. In addition, whenever desired a covering or layer 19 of aluminum may be used to prevent, to an appreciable extent, the passage of heat from one side of the blind to the other.- The covering of aluminum l9 may be aluminium paint, aluminium foil, or even thin sheet metallic aluminum. Where foil or sheet material is used it may be held in place by adhesive, if desired, or by suitable lines of stitching. When the blind is closed, as shown in Fig. 5, light, air and heat will be shut out or shut in as the case" may be. It will be understood, of course, that vanes could be opened to any desired extent at any time to allow light and air to pass.

As shown in Figs. l-to 3 inclusive, each of the vanes i8 is formed of a single piece of flexible sheet material, as for instance material similar to the shade 5. The shade 5 and also the vanes i8 may be made of suitable treated textile fabric which is flexible and also resilient.

F If desired, instead of makingthe vanes of one gles as may be desired by the operator.

sheet of material they could be made of two or more pieces, though ordinarily one sheet is preferable, with the parts folded to present a central flat section or ply 20,- side bowed sections or members 2! and'22, folded end portions 23, 24, 25 and 26 and also the respective flanges 21 and 28'. Preferably the folded portion 25 is held in folded position by a lineof stitching 29 while the folded portion 24 is held in position by a line of stitching 30. The folded portions 23 and 26 are held in position by lines of stitching 3i and 32 respectively. These last named lines of stitching also extend through the flat central sheet 20 and through the aluminum covering member I9 when used. It will be understood that this aluminum covering may either be used or eliminated according to the wish of the manufacturer. Each of the respective flanges 21 and 28 is formed from a folded back extension held in place by the respective lines of stitching 33, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the eyelets 34 may be properly held in place. By reason of this construction the eyelets need not be stitched in place, though if desired additional stitching or tacking may be used. The respective eyelets 34 coast with the respective hooks 35 on the respective control tapes 9 and III.

From Fig. 4 it will be observed that the respective control tapes are each formed from a strip of material 36, which may be any suitable textile fabric having its longitudinal edges bent back and held in place by stitching 31 and 38. A hook strip 38 is secured to the members 36 by a. line of stitching 40. The various hooks 35 are preferably secured to the hook strip 39 by suitable stitching 4|. The various hooks 35 interlock with the various eyelets 34 as shown in Fig. 2. The books 35 are formed so as to snap into place and thereby held against accidental removal. By reason of this construction it will be seen that therespective side edges of the various vanes may be pulled upwardly or downwardly to tilt the various vanes to different an- As the control tapes 9 and Ill move upwardly or down-, wardly the bar 8 rocks in the loop i9. However, if desired, the tacks ll could be eliminated and the control tapes could slide over the bar without departing from the spirit 'of the invention. By grasping both of the rings i4 and I! the shade 5 may be manipulated in the usual way without shifting the position of the various vanes I8. After the shade 5 has been adjusted to the desired place either the ring i4 or [5 may be pulled to give the desired angle to the vanes without affecting the position of the shade 5.

While the construction shown in Fig. 2 with the two bowed members 2! and 22 is preferable because of uniformity of appearance, -it will be understood that a single bowed member may be used if desired. In Fig. 7 a single bowed member 2 I is used and is arranged similarly to member 2i in Fig. 1. The remaining parts are the same and, therefore, need no additional description. In this form of the invention a coating of aluminum could be used, if desired, without departin from the spirit of the invention.

In Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, a slightly modified construction is shown wherein either the double-bowed vane shown in Fig. 2 or the singlebowed vane shown in Fig. 7 could be used. However, instead of providing the control tapes 9 and IU of flexible textile fabric, thereare provided chains 42 and 43 formed of links 44, as shown in Fig. 11. Each of these links has an elongated loop 45 which merges, into arc-shaped members 46 and 41 which in turn merge into laterally extending bars 48 and 49, which bars extend into the respective flanges in a similar way to the eyelet 34 shown in Fig: 3. The arcshaped members or loops 46 and 41 are formed so as to snap into position whereby they will not become disengaged when the respective chains are slack. The chains 42 and 43 at their upper ends are connected to a strap of textile fabric at 50, which strap extends over the bar 8 in loop 6. This strap may be unconnected to the bar 8 as shown in Fig. 9. or if desired may be secured thereto by a. tack as shown in Fig. 2. The function of the various parts in this form of the invention is identical with that shown in Fig. 2. In the modified form of the invention no aluminum covering is shown but it will be evident that vanes identical with that shown in Fig. 2 could be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A shade including a shade roller, a flexible sheet secured at one end to said roller and adapted to be wound thereon, such sheet having at the end opposite said roller a tubular loop, a bar arrangement in said loop and a Venetian blind having its control tapes extending through said tubular loop and engaging said bar for being supported thereby.

2. A blind structure including a flexible sheet, means at the upper end of said sheet for supporting the same, said sheet at the lower end having a loop, a bar fitting in said loop, a Venetian blind havin a plurality of vanes, a pair of guiding tapes on each surface of said Venetian blind near the edges, and a control tape arranged centrally of said Venetian blind on each surface thereof, the upper ends of all of said tapes slidingly extending through said loop and engaging said bar.

3. A Venetian blind including a flexible bowed side member, a tensioned memberof sheet material connecting the side edges of the bowed member, and a metallic heat insulating member arranged parallel to the tensioned member.

4. A,Venetian blind-vane formed from textile fabric and comprising a bowed member on the obverse and reverse surfaces, a central tensioned member of sheet material arranged between said bowed members and a sheet of aluminum ar-' ranged parallel to and substantially coextensive with saidtensioned member.

' 5. A Venetian blind vane of flexible material, a sheet of aluminum arranged interiorly in said material, and a pair of rows of stitching connecting the sheet of aluminum to said material. 6. A Venetian blind vane formed of flexible material having inner and outer bowed members and a central sheet member, each of said inner and outer members having an outstanding flange extending substantially normal to said central member; and means on said flanges for securing control tapes to the flanges.

7. A Venetian blind vane of flexible resilient treated textile fabric material having a straight tensioned member, and a covering of aluminum foil for said tensioned member.

8. A Venetian blind vane having a ten sioned member and a. bowed side member, and a covering of aluminum for said tensioned member.

9. A Venetian blind vane having a central flat tensioned member, a bowed member on each side of said tensioned member and a flange extending from each side of the vane, and a covering of aluminum for said tensioned member.

10. A Venetian blind vane having a bowed member and a straight flat member, and a covering of aluminum arranged between the bowed member and the flat member.

11. A Venetian :blind vane being formed from a single piece of flexible material bent to provide a central fiat member, a pair of bowed side members positioned respectively on opposite sides of the flat member, a folded back portion at each edge of each of said bowed members and a flange at each edge of the vane, and lines of stitching securing said folded back portions together and to said flat member.

HARLOW WARREN. 

